Period 2 1607-1754

Plantation Colonies

Virginia Company Established as a joint-stock company in 1607 Its primary goal was profit making for stockholders Religious motivation was much less important to its founding compared to Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island The population was mostly male. And these settlers were interested in getting rich quick, not establishing a permanent colony

Tobacco Tobacco cultivation made the British colonies in the Chesapeake region economically viable as European demand for tobacco increased By the mid-1700s, tobacco was the most valuable cash crop produced in the Southern colonies

The Plantation Colonies and the Growth of Slavery

From Servitude to Slavery in the Chesapeake Region, 1607-1690 Indentured servants played a key role in the growth of the tobacco plantation system in the Chesapeake. They were the chief source of agricultural labor in these colonies before 1675. Servants worked for a period of time in exchange for their passage to America Planters in Virginia and Maryland used the headright system to encourage the importation of indentured servants – whoever paid the passage of a laborer received the right to purchase 50 acres of land The number of slaves increased dramatically in the last quarter of the 17th century because they were a more reliable source of labor Slave labor in colonial Virginia spread rapidly in the late 17th century, and blacks displaced white indentured servants in the tobacco fields Legal restrictions on slaved developed; these restrictions limited their freedoms and rights.

Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676 Bacon’s Rebellion in Virginia exposed tensions between the former indentured servants, who were poor, and the gentry (the genteel class of planters), who were rich. As planters became more suspicious of their former indentured servants, they turned to slaves as more reliable sources of labor. Bacon’s Rebellion failed, but it pointed to the danger of antagonism between the wealthy class and poor farmers.

Growth of Plantation Economies and slave Societies, 1690 - 1754 Slavery developed and spread because the cultivation of tobacco demanded inexpensive labor Slavery was legally established in all 13 colonies by the early 1700s. Although enslaved, Africans sought to retain cultural practices brought from Africa Rice was the most important crop grown in South Carolina during the mid-18th century The Stono Rebellion (1739) was one of the earlies known acts of rebellion against slavery in the US. Organized and led by slaved living south of Charleston, South Carolina, participants tried to flee to Spanish Florida, where they hoped to gain their freedom.

The Separatists And The Puritans

Key Facts Separatists(Pilgrims) arrived in Plymouth in 1620, declaring the principle of self-government with the Mayflower compact. The Puritans usually came to New England in family groups. They wanted to escape political repression, religious restrictions, and economic recession. Led by John Winthrop, they sought to establish a model of a united Christian community. Because of this desire for unity, they harshly suppressed dissenting voices. The Puritans typically lived in small villages surrounded by farmland. Puritan leaders held both political and religious authority. They believed strongly in the value of education for both boys and girls and the necessity for a trained and educated ministry. They founded Harvard college to ensure an adequate supply of ministers.

“A City Upon A Hill” John Winthrop called on the Puritans to build a model society, which is referred to as “a city upon a hill.” They had a powerful sense of mission-to build an ideal Christian community. The Puritans had a strict code of moral conduct for all community members and enforced conformity. Quote from Winthrop’s famous sermon, in which he defined the purpose of the Puritan colony: “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the word.”

The Puritans And Religious Freedom The Puritans immigrated to America for religious freedom yet did not tolerate religious dissent or diversity. Not all Puritans shared Winthrop’s vision- both Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams were expelled for challenging the Puritan authorities.

Anne Hutchinson The struggled with the Massachusetts Bay authorities over religious doctrine and gender roles, challenging the teachings and authority of the male clerical hierarchy and claiming to receive revelations directly from God. She was banished to Rhode Island and later moved to New York, where she and all but one of her younger children were killed by Indians.

Roger Williams Expelled by the Massachusetts Bay authorities, Roger Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island. He advanced the cause of religious toleration and freedom of thought. He believed that the state was an improper and ineffectual agent in matters of spiritual concerns and helped establish the tradition of separation of church and state.

The Half-Way Covenant As time passed, the Puritans’ religious zeal began to diminish and church membership declined. The Half-Way Covenant eased requirements for church membership by allowing the baptism of the children of baptized, but unconverted, Puritans.

Salem Witchcraft Crisis An anti-witchcraft hysteria developed in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. Community members accused others, mostly women, of being witches, which resulted in trials for dozens and the executions of twenty people. Anti-Puritan sentiments developed following the trials and executions, leading to a weakening of Puritan authority.

The First Great Awakening Key points to remember about the First Great Awakening: It took the form of a wave of religious revivals that began in New England in the 1730’s. The wave soon swept across all the colonies during the 1740’s, bringing a renewed sense of piety and growth in Protestant denominations, particularly Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists. A Key consequence was that New Light ministers advocated an emotional approach to religious practice; this weakened the authority of traditional Old Light ministers and established churches. New Light ministers did the following: Promoted growth of New light institutions of higher learning, such as Princeton, Brown, and Dartmouth. Sparked a renewed missionary spirit that led to the conversion of many slaves. Led to a greater appreciation for the emotional experiences of faith. Added to the growing popularity of itinerant ministers. Increased the number of woman in church congregations. Woman became the majority. Led to divisions within both the Presbyterian and congregational churches, resulting in growing religious diversity.

Pennsylvania And The Quakers

Pennsylvania Founded by William Penn Penn created an unusually liberal and tolerant colony, including a representative assembly elected by the landowners. Pennsylvania granted freedom of religion to all citizens and did not have a state-supported church.

Quakers Quakers were pacifists who refused to bear arms Quakers advocated freedom of worship and accepted a greater role for woman in church services. Quakers opposed slavery and were among America's first abolitionists. Quakers claimed direct revelation from God for all members and opposed a formal clergy.

Colonial Society In The Eighteenth Century

Key Terms Northern merchants and Southern planters amassed great wealth. Despite this, colonial society did not have a hereditary aristocracy. The number of non-English settlers continued to increase. For example, Scotch-Irish and German immigrants moved into Appalachia as the Native Americans were defeated. The thirteen colonies featured religious pluralism. As a result, there was no single dominant Protestant denomination. Slavery was generally accepted as a labor system when the indentured servant system declined. The institution was legally established in all the colonies. Functioning primarily as mercantile centers, colonial cities collected agricultural goods and distributed imported manufactured goods. Most colonial cities were ports that maintained close economic and cultural ties with England.

Mercantilism And The Navigation Acts Mercantilism was England’s dominant economic philosophy during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries The goal of mercantilism was for England to have a favorable balance of trade. To achieve this goal, the colonies were expected to export their raw materials and import England’s finished goods. Mercantilism was designed to protect English industry and promote England’s prosperity. It measured wealth by the money in the English treasury. The Navigation Acts were a significant part of British mercantilism. They listed colonial products that could be shipped only to England. The mercantilist system led to the subordination of the colonial economy to that of the mother country. The Northern American colonies took advantage of Great Britain’s policy of salutary neglect to work out trade agreements with other countries so they could acquire needed products. While legally restrictive of trade, the Navigation Acts were loosely enforced.

Woman In Colonial America During the colonial period, a woman usually lost control of her property when she married. A married woman had no separate legal identity apart from her husband; single woman and widows had the right to own property. While colonial woman had fewer rights than woman today, they had more rights than any contemporary society in Europe or elsewhere.

Republican Government/Republicanism Republican is the belief that government should be based on the consent of the governed. British philosopher John Locke developed this concept during the Glorious Revolution of the seventeenth century. Republicanism inspired eighteenth-century American revolutionaries. Key principles of republicanism included: Sovereignty comes from the people. Representation should therefore be apportioned based on population. A republic is preferable to a monarchy because it would establish a small, limited government that is responsible to the people. Widespread ownership of property is the bulwark of republican government. Standing armies are dangerous and should be avoided. Agrarian life is both desirable and virtuous. Citizens have the right and perhaps the responsibility to rebel if a sovereign does not honor their rights.

Enlightenment Thinking Elements of European thinking began influencing prominent Americans. The Enlightenment sought to apply scientific principles to politics and religion, and valued literature and visual and performing arts as important disciplines in colleges, such as King’s college and the College of Philadelphia. Enlightenment thinkers such as Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams began publicly discussing the prospect of political independence from England.

Colonial Literature Anne Bradstreet(1612-1672) was the first notable American poet and the first woman to be published in colonial America. Phillis Wheatley(1753-1784) was the first published African American poet. Her writing helped create the genre of African-American literature.